Tetsuzo Sato

Espoir City, Japan’s hope for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) to be run at Churchill Downs Nov. 6, drilled six furlongs over the Louisville track to lead a host of workouts on the morning of Oct. 23 from hopefuls for the two-day racing festival. This was the first of two planned works b...Read More

Japan-based star ESPOIR CITY (Jpn) (Gold Allure) arrived at Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning for a run in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), settling in his stall in the quarantine barn at 4:30 a.m. (EDT). "It was his first time to travel out of Japan and he handled it well," trainer Ak...Read More

There has been little Japanese participation in the Breeders' Cup over the years, just three starters in all, the last being Personal Rush, who finished sixth of 13 as a 25-1 shot in the Breeders' Cup Classic won by Ghostzapper in 2004 at Lone Star Park. But Japan will be well represented this year ...Read More

Move over Zenyatta, Blame, Quality Road, and Lookin At Lucky. You may have company in the form of a Japanese invader. Espoir City, a speedy 5-year-old horse by Japanese stallion Gold Allure, who was a son of Sunday Silence, is being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) on Nov. 6 at Churchill...Read More